Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Margule's Audio from Mexico- The Magenta ADE 24.1

This is a wonderful black box from Mexico that turns CD into something it should have always sounded like. It works on the analogue feed out of any DAC, the one inside your CD player or the outboard one that cost $1000. Julian Margules who created the product would be the first to say that it wasn't designed to work with a $3000 to $4000 DAC, but for everything else we are talking about a very special product. It makes CD sound beautiful. And this is saying something for a guy who loves his vinyl.

Barry Willis recently wrote an article for Hifi News in the UK praising the Margenta ADE 24.1. It's in the November 2011 issue , which goes from October to November and is out now. It has generated lots of interest and some reckless controversy. But some more of that later.

I first came across Margule Audio and the Magenta ADE 24.1 when I bought PS Audio Digital Link III DAC on the secondhand market. A quick Google to find reviews about it got me this review by Barry Willis:

http://www.avguide.com/review/ps-audio-digital-link-iii-trio-p-200-preamplifier-and-trio-100-amplifier

Some people screamed at the time that he didn't really review the PS Audio DAC so much as promote the ADE 24. I read that article in a different way. Here was a combination of components that would make your digital system sound better.

To cut a long story short, I have the Magenta ADE 24.1 in my systen combined with the PS Audio Digital Link III DAC and the combination is exceptional just as Barry Willis has described.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

GuiGuang Are At It Again - Western Electric Replicas

Vanch Carroll, intrepid valve explorer that he is, recently alerted me to the fact the GuiGuang are producing their own replica of the famous Western Electric 300B. This is hot on the heels of GuiGuang developing their own black glass 300B to rival the ShuGuang treasure series.
Having purchased a pair of GuiGuang's black glass 300BS-Z from Vanch, I queried him on whether the Western Electric replica was just an idea or a reality. His response was that it is a reality and he sent pictures to prove it. So here they are on Vanch Carroll's dining room table, direct from the GuiGuang factory in China. When I asked Vanch what they sounded like he simply responded: "More. More of everything."

As far as I know neither of these valves have been released onto the open market as yet. Vanch has the black glass 300BS-Z for sale on Ebay. They are beautiful valves.

And if you are really hanging out to hear what GuiGuangs WE replica can do, then you may need to catch a plane to China and visit the GuiGuang factory like Vanch did.